Who was uphill? Gwyneth Paltrow trial spotlights skier code

PARK CITY, Utah — Skiers have likely noticed signs at mountain resorts across the country saying, “Know the code.” They refer to universal rules of conduct that apply to people who partake in inherently risky snow sports that involve navigating down crowded slopes, often at high speeds.

But whether they actually understand the code is another question. For those unfamiliar with skiing and snowboarding, it’s likely something they’ve never heard of.

That’s all changing as actor Gwyneth Paltrow’s highly publicized ski collision trial is live-streamed from the courtroom. The actor-turned-lifestyle-influencer was accused of crashing into a fellow skier during a 2016 family trip to the upscale, skiers-only Deer Valley Resort in Utah. The celebrity trial is on day six and expected to conclude Thursday.

For a week, the trial has shone a spotlight on the unspoken rules that govern behavior on the slopes. Testimony has repeatedly touched on skier’s etiquette — especially sharing contact information after a collision, and ski turn radiuses — in the most high-profile ski collision trial in recent history.